We're Dead Last!!!!!

The district's website states that Yucaipa teachers have the second highest average salary of our 15 comparison districts. Has any one of the board members looked at our salary schedule compared to surrounding districts? The YCJUSD teaching staff certainly has. How is it that we have the second highest average salaries? It's because we are the most experienced and most educated staff in the comparison group. It is certainly not because of our wonderful salary schedule. Teachers, start looking at your salary and see what it would be in another district. Then go ahead and add in the district's 6.5% salary offer to your current salary and compare again. Your salary will still be the lowest. I hope the School Board and district administration take the time to make the same comparisons. Maybe if they did, YCJUSD would stop paying an attorney $600/hour to do the job the tax payers compensate the Board and administration to do.

566 Days Without a Settlement!

We Made the Education Carnival

Check it out at Dr. Homeslice.

Can YOU afford to work in Yucaipa?

It's official! Based off of CTA comparison data, YCJUSD has the LOWEST salaries of any of the 15 comparison districts in the Inland Empire. That's right, we are dead last!

The differences are substantial! For example, a first year beginning teacher (Step 1, Column 1) would make:
$4,613 more teaching in Beaumont
$5,912 more teaching in Hemet
$6,526 more teaching in Moreno Valley
$7,447 more teaching in Riverside
$13,731 more teaching in Corona-Norco

Let's just say the future isn't looking too bright for future YCJUSD teachers.

This Board Needs a Priority Adjustment

Teachers in Yucaipa and Calimesa have been told, in no uncertain terms, that we are not a priority in the budget. If the people who work with kids daily are not a priority, what is? Apparently it's a 1.5 million dollar football field and track. At a recent school board meeting, the Board was told that fundraising efforts had fallen short - 900 thousand dollars short! At this point they could have pulled the plug on the project. Instead, the Board voted to proceed and send phase one (at a projected cost of 1.08 million dollars) out to bid. My question is, where will the money come from to cover the short-fall? Jim Hoyt asked this very question. Patti Ingram suggested that cuts could be made in other areas to make up the difference. That's a pretty big difference! I wonder what else might be cut: Classroom supplies, textbooks, copying, instructional aids? When the community said this project was not a priority (by not funding it) the Board should have recognized the same and followed suite.

Not only are we an Association, we are a UNION!

566 Days Without a Settlement!

Where's All the Money?

Why is it that the YCJUSD received over 18% in new funds for the 05/06 and 06/07 school years but is only offering their teachers a total of 9% in salary and benefits (which by the way, our teachers voted down)? Where is the other 9% of the new money that should be in the teacher salary accounts going? Why do other accounts get their full increase plus some but teacher's salaries take less? Our surrounding districts seemed to know how to budget correctly. Even Banning who is smaller than YCJUSD figured out how to give their teachers a fair raise. Wake up YCJUSD, we're leaving!

565 Days Without a Settlement!

Censorship at Work in Yucaipa-Calimesa

Did you know that the District has blocked access to this blog from classroom computers? They've grouped us together with MySpace and pornography!

Of course, you can easily access the anti-teacher propaganda on the District website!

565 Days Without a Settlement!

Looking to Escape???

There are two upcoming teacher job fairs in the Inland Empire:

Tuesday, March 6 - Orton Center, University of Redlands. 3:00-5:30

Wednesday, March 14 - UCR Extension Center, UC Riverside. 4:00-7:00

YCJUSD attended the recent one at CSUSB but it is rumored that Yucaipa will be staying away from these two. With starting salaries that are as much as 30% below other Inland Empire districts it must be embarrassing for the YCJUSD administrators to try and recruit high quality applicants.

564 Days Without a Settlement!

Self-Serving?

In the latest in a long line of questionable decisions, the board in February has made one that really stands out: They voted to change their election cycle to line up with general elections. This means that instead of Jim Hoyt, Joyella Beuler, and Jim Oedekerk facing election in November of 2007, they will not need to campaign until 2008. In addition, board members Ingram and Brown will not need to worry about reelection until November of 2010. They stated that the reason for the change was financial, but could there be a more pressing reason for the change? How about the fact that they have been part of a very unsuccessful administration, and felt that postponing eventual defeat was the safest course?
The focus in public education so far this century has been "accountability." For public figures like our board members, elections are the ultimate in accountability. It is the time when the people either say "Yes, we believe you have done a good job" and they are reelected to serve another term, or the public says "No, we don't believe you have been effective" and officials are replaced. Our board has quite efficiently stalled this process for financial reasons alright - After all, now they get to keep their health benefits (a program that YCEA has fought to preserve over the last few years) a while longer.

Thank-You Parents!

Friday was a "board tour," meaning the school board made visits to several school sites. Over the past two weeks, several groups of parents have been organizing in support of the teachers. Today they picketed at four of the schools being visited. The first group at Park View was rather small, since it was early morning on a very cold day.



Ridgeview had a larger turnout, and this group was joined by the parents from Park View.









Next, there was picketing at Meadow Creek and Valley Elementaries, and then at lunchtime there was a pretty good-sized group at a Dunlap. This group was joined by teachers who came outside with their own signs since it was their lunch period.

THANK-YOU PARENTS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Another board tour is scheduled for Tuesday the 27th, with visits to Green Valley, Oak View, YHS-9, and Yucaipa High. Call the YCEA office at (909) 795-3320 if you're interested in talking to the parents who are organizing things. We can provide you with contact information.

562 Days Without a Settlement!

Welcome to the Yucaipa Teacher blog!

Need a place to vent your frustration with the YCJUSD? Upset that we're among the lowest paid teachers in Southern California? You've found the right place! Sound off and share!